Gerrard back in England squad

Steven Gerrard is back in the England squad for the first time since his injury.

Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard have both been omitted.

Goalkeepers: Scott Carson (Bursaspor), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Robert Green (West Ham United).

Defenders: Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur), Ashley Young (Manchester United), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).

Forwards: Darren Bent (Aston Villa), Fraizer Campbell (Sunderland), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United).


I really dont like the centre back options!

Jagielka, Lescott and Dawson are better than whats there IMO.


From that 11 I'd pick:

-----------Hart-------------
Richards Cahill Jones Johnson
-------Gerrard-Parker-------
Milner----Rooney---Downing
----------Bent-------------

 

I'm really surprised Carroll isn't in on current form.

 

From that squad I would pick :

Hart

Richards Cahill Jones Cole

Milner Gerrard Parker Johnson

Rooney Welbeck

I just can't see how Downing is anywhere near the squad to be honest.

The same could be said for Cleverley - he hasn't played enough due to injuries to merit the call up this time.

I would have liked to have seen Oxlaid Chamberlain thown in for the friendly to see how he copes prior to the Euros but it seems they have gone with reputations rather than form as per usual.

 

---------------Hart-----------
Johnson--Richards--Cahill--Cole
---------Gerrard--Parker-------
---Sturridge--Milner--Johnson--
-------------Rooney-----------

No way he'd play that though. He'll pick Jones, Downing, Walcott and Barry to start and drop Richards, Sturridge, Johnson and Milner. So an England 4-5-1 basically.
Some really dodgy call-ups in that squad though...

 

I am more surprised that Gerrard is on current form. Just shows that the big names get automatically picked.

 

Downing always does well for England.

Are Dawson, Jagielka and Lescott all injured?

I really dont like those centre back options.

 

Just noticed...

Why is Downing in the squad...? It is debateable as to whether he should even be in the Liverpool squad, never mind England!

 

3 goals and 3 assists in 11 games (two of the goals against lower league opposition) is probably the reason why - despite his upturn in form.

Welbeck - 3 goals/1 assist in 6 games
Bent - 3 goals/0 assists in 8 games
Campbell - 1 goal/1 assist in 2 games
Sturridge - 1 goal/2 assists in 7 games
Rooney - 6 goals/3 assists in 7 games

Why is Rooney in the squad - I thought he was suspended - shouldn't England be practising play without him? Or is it the already overweening arrogance already flowing ("We'll qualify from the groups without Rooney...")

 

He should be in the squad but he better not play, if he does he certainly shouldn't start the game!

 

Still can't see how he's not in StJohn

 

I just wonder why England are taking Rooney on this jolly. Its pointless, we know how he plays. This is a friendly, so it should be for something a bit more relevant than getting match practice with the final XI...

 

probably want to just ensure that Rooney still feels part of the squad after his mistake. There would be no short term value but more for longer term mentality of him and the squad as a whole.

 

I suppose Stevie himself wants to be in the England squad, but I'd be happier if he stayed out of it and concentrated on us.

 

For me, I'd pick

-------------Carson-------------
Walker---Smalling---Jones---Cole
Walcott--Cleverley--Parker--Young
-----Rooney-----Sturridge-------

With a bit of luck, the Dutch will play like its the World Cup final and crock a half-dozen of this England starting XI

 

Is de Jong in the Dutch squad? I'm sure he'd be happy to take a couple of them out.

 

Him and Van Bommel are both in the squad - let the bloodletting begin...

 

Preliminary Dutch squad:http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/holland-squad-named-england-friendly

Goalkeepers
Tim Krul (Newcastle United)
Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax)
Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht)

Defenders
Vurnon Anita (Ajax)
Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart)
Jeffrey Bruma (HSV)
Urby Emanuelson (AC Milan),
John Heitinga (Everton)
Joris Mathijsen (Malaga)
Erik Pieters (PSV)
Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord)

Midfield
Mark van Bommel (AC Milan)
Nigel de Jong (Manchester City)
Adam Maher (AZ)
Wesley Sneijder (Inter)
Stijn Schaars (Sporting)
Kevin Strootman (FC Utrecht)
Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur)
Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV)

Strikers
Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04)
Ola John (FC Twente)
Luuk de Jong (FC Twente)
Jeremain Lens (PSV)
Luciano Narsingh (sc Heerenveen)
Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool)
Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)

 

Vorm is Swansea, isn't he, I thought he was sold, not loaned or anything.

 

But I hate international football, absolute waste of bloody time, pub teams play better, with the exception of Spain and Brazil.

 

as expected the dutch midfield and attack looks brilliant